Strength. What is strength to a Catholic? Actually, what is strength to a human? An image of of this buff monster with herculean (literally) power easily comes to mind, but I have to believe that the ultimate showings of strength were shown in the Gospel by Christ.
Strength is different than power, or at least power as humans understand it. After all Christ is admittedly the most powerful human to have walked this earth, but He wasn’t a politician, a general, or a gladiator. Christ shows us instead what power is supposed to be used for, His healings and exorcisms were certainly one part of it. he rarely used power for destruction, but those scenes are memorable (the fig tree and the temple merchants). In fact His power seemed constrained by an amazing self-control, an adherence to a divine honor code if you will. His strength is shown in the melding of power and its right use.
Other aspects of strength, which I think as more feminine in nature, are more clearly shown in His crucifixion, namely endurance and grace. Endurance can be thought of more as acceptance. His endurance of the sufferings of His Passion and His acceptance of the joys of living are both examples of this aspect of strength. Grace or poise could best be summed up in His words on the cross “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” This aspect is rather the opposite of whining, for you notice that Christ doesn’t whine and is in fact very generous towards those He interacts with.
There have been many powerful people, but we love the strong people. We prefer David to Goliath, Robin Hood to Prince John, Hercules to Ares, Dr. King to the KKK. For the Catholic true strength comes from God, which is why both St Francis Assisi and St. Ignatius Loyola were called away from selfish pursuit of glory, and also why Christ washed the Disciples feet. This is why Christ is our Champion.
God bless,
>P<
Joshua Fahey
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